Abuse trial of bias: Lawyers accuse Pennsylvania judge

A Philadelphia judge presiding over a Catholic church sex abuse trial should step down because her comment that there is widespread sexual abuse in the church shows a bias against a Monsignor accused in the case, the cleric’s lawyers said on Thursday.

Common Pleas Court Judge M. Teresa Sarmina said in court last week: “Anybody that doesn’t think there is widespread sexual abuse within the Catholic Church is living on another planet.”